Paramount Blvd Bridge Reopens

(CNS) – A reconstructed Paramount Boulevard bridge over the Pomona (60) Freeway opened to traffic Monday, five months after the original structure was heavily damaged by a tanker truck that caught fire directly under it.

Construction on the replacement bridge began in March and was originally not expected to be finished until mid-June, but it was completed weeks ahead of schedule.

The Paramount Boulevard bridge, originally built in 1967, was shut down following the Dec. 14 fire, which forced a lengthy closure of the Pomona Freeway between the Long Beach (710) and San Gabriel River (605) freeways while crews assessed the integrity of the structure.

The bridge was demolished once it was determined the fire had caused too much damage. The demolition work was completed in late February.

The $40 million cost of rebuilding the bridge will be reimbursed by the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program, according to Caltrans.

The new bridge is 128 feet wide — 32 feet wider than the old one. It includes an additional northbound lane, an eight-foot shoulder, a 14-foot center median and six-foot sidewalks.